Private Wesley Karna Memorial Highway Bill Moves to the State Senate

A bill to name a section of M-26 after a former resident and World War Two veteran will move to the state senate for further consideration. Earlier this week representative Greg Markkanen spoke on behalf of his bill to rename a section of M-26 to the Private Wesley Karna Memorial Highway in the House transportation committee. He was joined by Private Wesley Karna’s great nephew Brad Uren. Karna was born in 1922 and raised in Painesdale in a family of Finnish immigrants. In 1944 Karna was killed in action while serving on the Italian front in the United States Army. For his sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Award. Recently an Italian historian discovered Karna’s canteen while searching the battleground with a metal detector. Even after 80 years beneath the earth, his name scratched into the metal could be seen.